Media access control architectures and network management...

Details Media access control architectures and network management... Media access control architectures and network management...

2000-06-13

2002-05-21

Winder, Patrice (Department: 2155)

Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput

Network-to-computer interfacing

C370S463000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06393489

ABSTRACT:

COPYRIGHT NOTICE
A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to integrated circuit devices used for processing data through communication networks, and more particularly, to methods and apparatuses for processing and managing the flow of data in high speed networks.
2. Description of the Related Art
The Ethernet local area network (LAN) is one of the most popular and widely used computer networks in the world. Since the Ethernet's beginnings in the early 1970's, computer networking companies and engineering professionals have continually worked to improve Ethernet product versatility, reliability and transmission speeds. To ensure that new Ethernet products were compatible and reliable, the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) formed a working group to define and promote industry LAN standards. Today, the IEEE has various Ethernet working groups that are responsible for standardizing the development of new Ethernet protocols and products under an internationally well known LAN standard called the “IEEE 802.3 standard.”
Currently, there are a wide variety of standard compliant Ethernet products used for receiving, processing and transmitting data over Ethernet networks. By way of example, these networking products are typically integrated into networked computers, network interface cards (NICs), routers, switching hubs, bridges and repeaters. Until recently, common data transmission speeds over Ethernet networks were 10 mega bits per second (Mbps). However, to meet the demand for faster data transmission speeds, the IEEE 802.3 standards committee officially introduced the “IEEE 802.3u standard” in May of 1995. This standard is also referred to as the “100 BASE T Fast Ethernet” standard because of its ability to perform data transmissions up to about 100 Mbps.
FIG. 1A
is a diagrammatic representation of an open systems interconnection (OSI) layered model 10 developed by the International Organization for Standards (ISO) for describing the exchange of information between layers. The OSI layered model
10
is particularly useful for separating the technological functions of each layer, and thereby facilitating the modification or update of a given layer without detrimentally impacting on the functions of neighboring layers. At a lower most layer, the OSI model
10
has a physical layer
12
that is responsible for encoding and decoding data into signals that are transmitted across a particular medium. As is well known in the art, physical layer
12
is also known as the “PHY layer.”
Above the physical layer
12
, a data link layer
14
is defined for providing reliable transmission of data over a network while performing appropriate interfacing with physical layer
12
and a network layer
16
. As shown, data link layer
14
generally includes a logical link layer (LLC)
14
a
and a media access control layer (MAC)
14
b
. LLC layer
14
a
is generally a software function that is responsible for attaching control information to the data being transmitted from network layer
16
to MAC layer
14
b
. On the other hand, MAC layer
14
b
is responsible for scheduling, transmitting and receiving data over a link. Thus, MAC layer
14
b
is primarily responsible for controlling the flow of data over a network, ensuring that transmission errors are detected, and ensuring that transmissions are appropriately synchronized. As is well known in the art, MAC layer
14
b
generally schedules and controls the access of data to physical layer
12
using a well known carrier sense multiple access with collision detection (CSMA/CD) algorithm.
Network layer
16
is responsible for routing data between nodes in a network, and for initiating, maintaining and terminating a communication link between users connected to the nodes. Transport layer
18
is responsible for performing data transfers within a particular level of service quality. By way of example, a typical software protocol used for performing transport layer
18
functions may be TCP/IP, Novell IPX and NetBeui. Session layer
20
is generally concerned with controlling when users are able to transmit and receive data depending on whether the user's is capable of full-duplex or half-duplex transmission. Presentation layer
22
is responsible for translating, converting, compressing and decompressing data being transmitted across a medium. As an example, presentation layer
22
functions are typically performed by computer operating systems like Unix, DOS, Microsoft Windows 95, Windows NT and Macintosh OS. Finally, Application layer
24
provides users with suitable interfaces for accessing and connecting to a network.
FIG. 1B
is a diagrammatic representation of typical Ethernet packets used for transferring data across a network. A packet generally includes a preamble
30
which is typically 8 bytes long. The last byte (or octet) in the preamble is a start frame delimiter (not shown). After the start frame delimiter octet, a destination address (DA)
32
which is typically 6 bytes is used to identify the node that is to receive the Ethernet packet. Following DA
32
, is a source address (SA)
34
which is typically 6 bytes long, SA
34
is used to identify the transmitting node directly on the transmitted packet. After the SA
34
, a length/type field (L/T)
36
(typically 2 bytes) is generally used to indicate the length and type of the data field that follows. As is well known in the art, if a length is provided, the packet is classified as an 802.3 packet, and if the type field is provided, the packet is classified as an Ethernet packet.
The following data field is identified as LLC data
38
since the data field also includes information that may have been encoded by the LLC layer
14
a
. A pad
40
is also shown following LLC data
38
. As is well known in the art, if a given Ethernet packet is less than 64 bytes, most media access controllers add a padding of 1's and 0's following LLC data
38
in order to increase the Ethernet packet size to at least 64 bytes. Once pad
40
is added, if necessary, a 4 byte cyclic redundancy check (CRC) field is appended to the end of a packet in order to check for corrupted packets at a receiving end. As used herein, a “frame” should be understood to be a sub-portion of data contained within a packet.
As described above, because MAC layer
14
b
is responsible for controlling the flow of data over a network, MAC layer
14
b
is generally responsible for encapsulating received LLC data
38
with an appropriate preamble
30
, DA
32
, SA
34
, DFL
36
, Pad
40
and CRC
42
. Further, an inter-packet gap (IPG) is shown identifying a time span between transmitted Ethernet packets. Conventionally, the IPG is a fixed value that is defined by the 802.3 standard, and imposed by a suitable MAC layer
14
b
. For more information on Ethernet network communication technology, reference may be made to issued U.S. Patents entitled Apparatus and Method for Full-Duplex Ethernet Communications having U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,311,114 and 5,504,738. These patents are hereby incorporated by reference.
FIG. 1C
is a system architecture representation of a conventional Ethernet media access controller (MAC)
50
. As shown, MAC
50
includes a transmit (Tx) MAC controller
54
for processing data received from an upper LLC layer, and a receive (Rx) MAC controller
56
for processing Ethernet packets received from a physical medium
84
. From the transmission side, data is typically received from the upper LLC layer through a system bus
78
. As shown, all data that is passed to MAC
50
is sent to a bus interface controller
74
through a path
52
. In addition, control and command signa

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